Up, Down or Flat? The Labor Department will release its January jobs report this morning. It’s expected to show a small, well, tiny gain – not enough to reduce the unemployment rate, which some analysts expect to rise to 10.1% from 10% in December.

It’s pronounced: ee-KA-loo-it: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke meet with their G-7 counterparts in Iqaluit, Canada. The highlight of the conference, a mere 200 miles away from the Arctic Circle, may well be the “fireside chats” on the future of the G-7.

Little League Stars: President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak this morning at a memorial service at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va., and later will visit a small business in Lanham, Md., where he will talk about new jobs and small-business initiatives. In the afternoon, he’ll greet the 2009 Little League World Series champs, the Park View Little League team from Chula Vista, Calif.

SEC’s Schapiro Speaks: The Practising Law Institute puts the Securities and Exchange Commission in the spotlight at its two-day “SEC Speaks” conference. SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro delivers remarks this morning, and later panels with commissioners and top SEC staff members will address commission priorities for the coming year.

Tea Partying: The Tea Party Convention opened in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday evening, continues today and concludes with a banquet Saturday, featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

All Bets Off? The National Weather Service predicts the first flakes of a major snowstorm (as much as two feet) will fall on Washington midday today. That’s enough to rearrange any schedule.

About Washington Wire

Washington Wire is one of the oldest standing features in American journalism. Since the Wire launched on Sept. 20, 1940, the Journal has offered readers an informal look at the capital. Now online, the Wire provides a succession of glimpses at what’s happening behind hot stories and warnings of what to watch for in the days ahead. The Wire is led by Reid J. Epstein, with contributions from the rest of the bureau. Washington Wire now also includes Think Tank, our home for outside analysis from policy and political thinkers.